If Only the SATs Were Held in South Korea…

December 5th, 2008

You’ve probably used a barrage of excuses over the school years — whether it’s to explain your lateness to class or your poor performance on an exam. But what if you never had to worry about traffic or distracting noises, and could get an idea of how well you did on a test the very same day you take it?

That’s the exact scenario that college-bound teens in South Korea experience every year when the national college admissions test is administered in November. While some colleges in South Korea are making the effort to accept students based on more than their scores, the college-entrance test is still the biggest factor in whether South Korean students get accepted to their dream schools or their nightmare institutions, making the national exam day a force to be reckoned with. You’ll find roads curiously devoid of traffic (the South Korean stock market and many offices push back their start-times by an hour), the sky free of noisy air traffic (planes are not allowed to take off or land while students are taking the listening portions of their exam), and evening papers filled with the correct exam answers the same night of the test.

Although this is sure to do wonders for students’ punctuality, listening abilities, and peace of mind, there’s one exam staple that’s being hurt: excuses. After all, it’s hard to explain why you don’t have your admissions ticket when a police officer is ready to run to your house and get it for you.

– Genevieve M. Blaber

Entry Filed under: College Admissions, College Craziness, College Trends, General, Schools